


A Place I Don't Know

by teadominusrex



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Confessions, Dialogue Heavy, Drinking, Drunkenness, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, No Beta, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Relationship(s), idk ow to tag this one, ignoring of bounderies, ironwood being an asshole while drunk, ironwood tries to get qrow to do things he doesn't want to, sad qrow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:27:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22344817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teadominusrex/pseuds/teadominusrex
Summary: Clover rounded the corner, bone tired and ready to collapse into bed. He suddenly froze, and darted back around the corner, praying he hadn’t been seen. He closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to erase the image of General Ironwood boxing Qrow in against the wall. Why did they have to be right outside his quarters? White hot jealous burned through him and Clover turned to leave, to find somewhere else to spend the night when Qrow’s voice caught his attention.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi, past Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood - Relationship
Comments: 5
Kudos: 195





	A Place I Don't Know

**Author's Note:**

> It's late, I'm tired, but I'm posting it anyway.
> 
> Ironwood is a real asshole to Qrow, and is also drunk in this and it's not graphic at all be careful when reading stay safe loves.
> 
> Set before V7E7

Clover rounded the corner, bone tired and ready to collapse into bed. He suddenly froze, and darted back around the corner, praying he hadn’t been seen. He closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to erase the image of General Ironwood boxing Qrow in against the wall. Why did they have to be right outside his quarters? White hot jealous burned through him and Clover turned to leave, to find somewhere else to spend the night when Qrow’s voice caught his attention.

“James, get off me”

Clover froze again. He didn’t want to stay, but now he couldn’t just leave.

“Why?” Ironwood asked, voice slurred “I miss you”

“You’re drunk, I don’t want to be around you right now” Qrow raspy voice help a slight tremor. 

“You never minded before”

“I’m sober right now, remember? And I don’t want to do this, it’s late and I’m tired”

“Oh congrats on being a few weeks sober, Qrow” Ironwood snapped “it’s not like you’re going to last much longer without a drink”

“I’m going to bed. I’ll talk to you when you’re sober- _ow!”_ Qrow hissed “Damnit James what the hell is your problem, let me go”

Clover couldn’t stop himself from bolting around the corner again, hand on Kingfisher-

“This is about Clover isn’t it?” Ironwood asked.

He held Qrow’s upper arm with his right hand, and while Clover knows that hand was much stronger than a regular human’s, he also knew Qrow could get out of his grip with ease.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Qrow snapped back 

Neither of them had noticed Clover yet

“I see the way you look at him”

“He’s- fuck you James I’m allowed to have feelings for someone else” Qrow glared at the general “now let me go”

Ironwood’s grip relaxed a fraction. “Of course you’d fall for Clover, you’re always looking for someone to save you from yourself, Qrow”

“James, stop it”

“Me, and Opzin and-”

Qrow wrenched himself away from Ironwood. “Don’t you dare say his name to me”

Ironwood’s eyes widened a little as he seemed to realize what he’d just said. “Qrow, I’m sorry I didn’t mean that”

“Yeah you-” Qrow finally noticed Clover standing at the end of the hallway, his face flooding with horror.

“Qrow I-” Clover started but Qrow was already throwing open the nearest window and in a burst of inky feathers, he’s gone.

“Damnit” muttered Ironwood “I really didn’t mean that! I shouldn’t have said that”

“With all due respect, sir” Clover couldn’t keep the chill out of his voice. “You need to go to bed and sober up. I’m going to get his nieces and we’ll find Qrow”

“Clover?” Weiss yawned when she answered the door “Is something wrong? Are we going on a mission?” 

“No… uh, could you get Ruby and Yang for me?” Clover asked “It’s about their uncle”

Weiss nodded, and disappeared briefly back into the room.

“What is it, what’s wrong, is Uncle Qrow okay?” Ruby demanded “Is he drinking again?”

“He’s not… is he?” Yanged asked, careful to keep her voice down, unlike her sister.

“I hope not,” Clover answered “he had a… a fight with General Ironwood, and flew off.”   
Yang and Ruby looked at each other, then back up at Clover.

“A fight with Ironwood?” asked Ruby “why, what about”

“It seemed personal” Clover said and both girls breathed a sigh of relief that Clover decided to ignore. “I was hoping you’d help me find him, you know him better than I do”

“He’s usually fine” Yang said “he’ll be back, don’t worry”

“You’re worried he might be drinking, aren’t you” Ruby said and Clover nodded.

“He was really upset” he said “we should try to find him as soon as possible”

“Alright” Yang stretched her arms over her head “let us get dressed.”

Qrow felt incredibly stupid the second he jumped out the window, but he had no intention of turning back. Instead, he flew higher, letting Mantle sprawl before him.

Ironwood’s words echoed around his head and his heart told him Ironwood was right. 

He really needed a drink.

Qrow landed in Mantle, shaking a little and unsure of where to go. The streets were empty, thanks to Ironwoods curfew and that meant nothing was open either. 

Qrow couldn’t tell if that was bad luck or not.

He settled for wandering the streets of Mantle with no real direction, trying to clear his head.

How much of that conversation had Clover heard? He’d definitely heard that part of Qrow’s  _ feelings  _ for him.  _ Feelings  _ like he was a schoolboy with a crush. Qrow didn’t get feelings for anyone he didn’t allow himself the luxury.

And yet, here he was. Pining after Clover Ebi like an idiot. 

Clover was going to hate him now.

Maybe not hate, no, Clover was too nice to outright hate him, but it was going to be so awkward now. No more card games or private talks or casual touches or-

A crash in front of him Qrow ripped from his thoughts and he started back, reaching for Harbinger.

“Thank goodness I found you, Mr Branwen!”

“Penny!” Qrow sighed “you nearly gave heart attack, what the hell.”

“Your vitals all seem fine, no signs of cardiac distress” Penny tilted her head.

“Why were you looking for me?” Qrow asked “is something wrong? Did… did James send you?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Penny shook her head “Operative Ebi asked me to look for you, he and Ruby and Yang are all very worried about you”

“Ah shit” Qrow covered his face with his hand “I didn’t want anyone to worry… damnit”

“They care about you” Penny said, placing a hand on Qrow’s shoulder “you’re very lucky”

Qrow laughed “good one, Penny”

“Uncle Qrow! You’re back!” Ruby ran up to him and hugged so hard it knocked the wind out of him.

“We were all worried about you, you can’t just run off like that” Yang leveled her uncle with a look.

“I’m  _ fine”  _ Qrow sighed “I didn’t drink.” 

Ruby looked up at him, silver eyes huge and Qrow is struck, as he always is, with how much she looks like her mother.

“You don’t sound okay,” she said “Clover said you and Ironwood got into a fight”

“I’m fine Ruby, I promise. It won’t happen again. James just… it was nothing. I overreacted, that’s all” 

“I don’t think you did” Clover said, arms crossed.

“Get some sleep, kids,” Qrow smiled. “You have to work in the morning”

Neither Ruby or Yang looked entirely satisfied with the conversation but they left without protest.

“Clover, about what you heard, I-” Qrow started but Clover held up a hand to stop him.

“We don’t have to talk about this right now, Qrow, it’s getting late”

“Oh…” Qrow’s heart sank “okay, I get it. I just wanted to say I was sorry you walked into that”

“I’m not,” said Clover was suddenly very, very close to Qrow “and it wasn’t your fault, so don’t apologize”

“Can I at least apologize for running away like an idiot?” Qrow really hoped Clover couldn’t hear his pounding heartbeat.

Clover laughed, “okay, that was a little stupid. I was worried about you”

Qrow felt a heat rising in his cheeks, and quickly turned away so Clover couldn’t see him blush. “I can take care of myself”

“I know you can”

“And everything in Mantle is closed so I couldn’t get a drink even though I wanted to”

“That’s okay,” Clover said softly, “you don’t have to be perfect, as long as you’re making progress. And you are.”

“Why are you so nice to me?” Qrow asked, almost too low for Clover to hear.

“Because I like you”

Qrow merely rolled his eyes in response.

“I like you a lot” Clover repeated, gently tilting Qrow face up to meet his pale red eyes. “and I don’t believe what Ironwood said. Any of it”

“I…” Qrow began to protest, but Clover shushed him gently.

“You don’t need anyone to save you, Qrow, you’re doing just fine by yourself”

“How do you always make me believe what you say?” Qrow leaned a centimeter forward.

“I’m telling you the truth, and deep down you know it” Clover replied.

Qrow hummed in response. 

“Can I kiss you?” Clover asked, so softly Qrow wasn’t sure he heard him right.

“You don’t have to ask”

“Yes, I do”

Qrow huffed out a laugh “then, yes you can kiss me”

Clover closed the small gap between them, kissing Qrow gently, almost too gently.

“It’s late” Clover whispered when they pulled apart “we should both get some sleep”

“Okay, Lucky Charm” Qrow said “but that better have no been a one time thing”

Clover laughed “oh, trust me, it won’t be” 

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr: https://skeletonthealex.tumblr.com/
> 
> PS: Qrow's not talking about Ozpin when he tells Ironwood "not to talk about him" ;)


End file.
